Autumn's Treasures

Josiane loves the autumn as much as I do, and she wrote this when she sent some photos she took on a forest walk, showing the Saarburg region at the start of her favorite season:

"The weather is a gem.   Autumn is here with its cool misty mornings, pale light during the day, beautiful sunsets, early nights and late daylights.  The leaves start to change colour here and there, and it is lovely in the sunlight; plenty of walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts to be gathered along the walks.  Sometimes (there are) apples from the open orchards -  I shouldn't,  but just to have a bite is so tempting!"

The Grape Harvest in Saarburg

September - when the vines are heavy with the green grapes that will all be harvested by the end of October.  It's a delight to walk the streets of Saarburg, where grape vines are as common as shrubs and fall flowers in other cities.  If you are lucky, you may have a chance to watch the grapes being harvested.  If you are very lucky, you may have a chance to enjoy tasting the new wine.  And if you are near Saarburg or are lucky enough to go there for a holiday in early September, you may even taste the wines of the area at the regional wine festival held there.  Hold out your glass during the parade to sample each wine village's finest.   You can cheer on the wine princesses, one of whom will be crowned the wine princess of the region.  Then drink a toast to a Roman in a toga, or partake of a wine served by a couple of jaunty fellows in panama hats. 

Walking along the street in Saarburg

The grapes are ready to be picked

This vineyard is around the corner from a main street in Saarburg

My vacation apartment's owners planted a few grapes of their own

Wine tasting in an Irsch wine cellar

The Serrig website captured all the events of the Saarburg regional Weinfest

The Roman legions brought grape vines to their outposts along the Saar and Mosel

Every wine village has a princess and the one in red was crowned the 2011 wine princess of the region

Forest Changes in August and September

Spring, summer, autumn - how quickly the seasons change in the Saar region.  Our ancestors, at work in the forest lands, had little time to admire the metamorphosis.  Too much to be done!  How lucky are we, their descendants, who can stroll the woodlands observing the transformations from week to week.

Fireweed

Bright red beauty of viburnum 

Little red priests' hats 

Heather here and there

Green holly

Acorns form on the oak tree